Apple Watch could have a band that changes colour based on MOOD

By Jacky On Feb 22, 2023

The days of constantly changing Apple Watch bands may soon be over, as the tech giant is working on a chameleon-inspired band that changes color.

A newly issued patent from the Cupertino firm describes an “electrochrome” Apple Watch band that changes color when it is powered.

It would be made of fabric woven from electrochromic filaments in three different bands that could each display alternating colors, the patent suggests.

Colors can be customized by the user to match their clothing, environment or mood, or even flash to communicate information such as notifications.

It follows news that Apple has already filed a patent for a camera on the bottom of an Apple Watch, for taking quick snaps or video.

The Apple Watch band is said to include an electrochromic feature that allows users to change the color scheme in three different band zones to customize it for the user

The patent for the color changing band is issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office and noticed by Patent Apple.

How would it work?

The band would be made of fabric woven from electrochromic filaments, which would receive a gentle current from the watch to change color.

Colors can be changed by the user to match their clothing, environment or mood, or can even flash certain shades to communicate notifications.

For example, the band can turn red to indicate an alarm or green to indicate a message from a particular friend.

“Users may want the ability to customize their watch bands to express variety and style,” the patent reads.

“For example, a user may want a watch strap of a certain color based on the user’s choice of clothing, other wearables, environment, or other preference.”

Apple Watch users can already swap out their band for a band with a different color or design, but the new invention could make this unnecessary.

“The color selections can be made and adjusted without removing and changing the watch band,” the patent explains.

Different parts of the filaments can also light up certain colors to display icons or shapes, almost like dot matrix display, the patent suggests.

“The color-adjustable elements of the watch band can be arranged and independently controlled in such a way that the system can display certain icons, shapes and/or text by lighting certain elements in a certain way,” it says.

“Accordingly, the color-changing features can be used as a visual output of information from the watch to the user.”

The watch band is described as an ‘electrochromic’ device, meaning that it changes color when it is powered. It would be made of a fabric woven from electrochromic filaments that change color and back again

Apple Watch users can already swap out their band for a different color or design, but the new invention could make this unnecessary

Electrochromic technology has already been used to tint windows on commercial aircraft, giving them a darker color so people can go to sleep.

These “smart” electrochromic windows are also used in homes, allowing people to control the amount of heat and sunlight.

But this would be a major design innovation for the Apple Watch, should it come to fruition.

The fact that this patent has only just been granted suggests that the color band technology will be on the market for a while.

Apple regularly files patents for various concepts without ever releasing them, so the color-changing band may not even get a release.

MailOnline has reached out to Apple for comment.

Apple also received a patent earlier this month for a camera attached to an Apple Watch band that allows the wearable to be rotated or detached to take a photo and make video calls.

The James Bond-worthy gadget is said to have a unique band that connects the Apple Watch to a magnet or latch, making it easy to remove and reattach.

The release of the very first Apple Watch nearly a decade ago caused a stir in the tech industry, but the latest flagship watch, Apple Watch 8, was described as merely “incremental upgrades” compared to the previous iteration.

The £419 ($399) Apple Watch 8 has an Always-On display, meaning the screen shows a small amount of quick-to-read information when idle.

It also has a strong, shatter-resistant crystal on the front, a temperature sensor that provides estimates of when a female wearer is ovulating, and the same crash-detection technology as the iPhone 14.

The Apple Watch Series 8 – which launched last fall alongside two other watch models – is on display here

Apple Watch 8 was launched along with two other new watch models: Apple Watch SE 2 and Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple Watch SE delivers some of the advanced features of the Series 8, including crash detection, for a lower price (starting at £259 or $249).

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra is the most durable smartwatch from the Cupertino company to date – and the most expensive, at £849 or $799.

A robust smartwatch for “extreme athletes”, with flat sapphire glass on the front and a titanium case that wraps around the screen, as well as buttons on the side that work even when the user is wearing gloves.

Another tech company called Nowatch drew attention at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month when it showed off its bezel-less smartwatch that doesn’t even tell the time.

Would YOU pay $500 for a smartwatch without a watch? Bizarre wearable can measure your stress, temperature and heart rate, but has a gemstone instead of a display

A $500 “smartwatch” has a gemstone face instead of an interactive touchscreen — and doesn’t tell the time.

Described as an ‘awareable’ rather than a wearable, Nowatch is the creation of a company of the same name based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

When strapped to the wrist, the Nowatch reads stress, temperature, heart rate, movement and sleep patterns – but if you want to know the time, that won’t help.

However, it offers an alternative for smartwatch fans who get overstimulated and stressed by bright screens with constant notifications.

Nowatch does not tell users what time it is because the inventors believe that a screen only adds to feelings of stress.

The ‘dial’ is a hand-cut, ‘ethically sourced’ gemstone, giving it the appearance of a piece of jewelery while also having hidden body-tracking capabilities.